The Fox Meets his Match
by LadyStarFire
Summary: Russav finds himself in a bit of trouble for the first time. He has fallen in love, yet his charm seems to be worn away the more deeply he falls into it. Will the cunning friend of the king ever find his love returned? (sequel to Who are you?)
1. Spying on Tamara

Spying on Tamara

Hello again to everyone, and my most sincere apologies for delaying this story's debut. Anyway, I do hope that you enjoy it; I don't really know these characters all that well or where the story is going to end up, so any helpful suggestions are very welcome.

Russav paced restlessly in Danric's rooms, guiltily listening to Mel and Tamara talking in the adjoining one. The two had become great friends after Flauvic's becoming a tree, though it was a slow transition from rivals to friends. Every afternoon Tamara would visit Mel to try and distract the new queen from trying to throw things at her overprotective husband, and every afternoon Russav would find some excuse to visit Danric at the exact same time, even though he knew that the king was in the archives. Perhaps it was cowardly to listen in to the women's talk, but he needed to find some answers before he tried courting Tamara.

Boy, he chided himself. You have been courting women since before you even knew why they were there to be courted. You know how to flirt and flatter them until you have them eating out of your hand, and you know how to keep them gazing at you like no one else exists. This girl should be no different.

But she was. Life, she was so much more than just another woman, another conquest, to him. She was stunningly beautiful and seemingly unaware of her grace and charms, yet she knew the arts of flirting and flattery almost better than he himself did.

She also knew the best ways to turn a man away, and she knew the best ways to keep him from coming back and ruining his social life in court for many weeks.

In truth, she was like a dagger studded with gems. Rare and beautiful, so much so that you forget the point and cut yourself. He had almost forgotten that dangerous edge that lay hidden inside of her, but not quite. Not enough to openly court her and tease her with his presence as he did to the other girls.

"Tamara, won't you have another cup of tea?" Mel was asking her friend, startling Russav from his thoughts and back to his current task.

"Oh, certainly not. Anymore of this tea and rich food your husband provides for you and I will lose my girlish figure!" The both of them laughed. _A figure like yours is never lost, my dear_, Russav found himself thinking.

"Surely you say this to offend me and my ever widening girth, madam." It was true. The queen had lost her small stomach, but somehow she still looked radiant.

"Offend the queen?" Tamara's tone was full of mocking shock. "Who would dare do such a thing, when you have such fierce protectors? Your good husband would run a fool through if they dared to upset you."

"Too true. Danric is a little overprotective."

"You are his wife and love, and you carry his child. His protectiveness is not pointless."

"I'm pregnant, not a glass statue. Leave it be."

"You still maintain the beauty and grace of a statue, despite your added belly, my queen. You are not the same woman because you are vulnerable now. I know you aren't used to it but until you accept the fact you and Danric will never see eye to eye about your pregnancy."

A sigh reached Russav's ear. "Sometimes you sound like what I've always imagined my mother would."

"I, a mother? I have not even been courted by anyone for many weeks." The listener's heart skipped a beat.

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Perhaps. But I do not know how to approach him."

"You can woo anyone in court, Tamara!"

"Ones I do not truly care for, yes. Those I can woo. But him... I would be terrified of driving him away."

A long silence hung between the girls and Russav held his breath, afraid to be discovered.

"Who is he?" Mel asked at last.

"I do not know for sure."

"I understand, Tamara. You need not say anymore... I was the same way when Danric was courting me, not wanting to tell who it was that I loved for fear that he'd hate me for it..."

"Yes... I do remember that... all right. I'll tell you, but you must not breathe a word to anyone."

Russav leaned forward, trying to catch her quiet murmur that would confirm his doubts and fears. So intent was he on doing so, he missed the sound of silent footfalls and was surprised out of his mind when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

Until next time, my friends. I hope you like it, please review!


	2. Secrets Revealed

Secrets Revealed

Next chapter, and I forgot the disclaimer in the last. Sherwood who is the all-knowing lady of wisdom owns all this, not me. I'll let you know when I add in my own original characters if I do.

Erkith: I knew I'd cause some confusion there. Wait and see whom it is before wondering how one character will react.

ShannonLynn: Well, they have been getting to know each other for 9 months now. Mel is 6 months pregnant and I randomly chose about 3 months of matrimonial bliss for her and our dear Danric before they had children. It's short, but it works. Anyway, she and Tamara should have become very good friends by now if they've been seeing each other pretty much daily to talk in the afternoon for 9 months.

Wake-Robin: hmm, I am not going to tell you that yet. .

Anyway, on with the actual story so you don't have to listen to my jabbering. Thanks to my reviewers so far, perhaps the quicker I get new chapters out the quicker I will be forgiven for my months of laziness...

Russav started like a hare and turned to face the one who had startled him, truly startled himself. "What in the blazes are you doing here?" He demanded.

With a twinkle in her eyes the woman covered his mouth gently. "You don't want my queen or my cousin to know you were spying on them, now, do you?"

"Nee..." He glanced at the thin tapestry that separated the rooms and lowered his voice to an infuriated whisper. "These are Danric's private rooms."

"And he made it a free country when he assumed the throne." Russav took a step forward and she took one back, a bit afraid that he would actually try to strangle her this time. "He sent me to find you."

"How did he know...?"

Nee smiled gently and shook her head. "You two have been friends for as long as you have been alive. I'm surprised you can't read each other's thoughts completely."

He sighed wearily and bent towards the tapestry again, hoping to hear even the end of the conversation and find out who it was his beloved was taken with.

"And Dalon (Author's note: Dalon is my character, he's sort of just a random courtier.) is so tall he surely must have used magic to accomplish it." Tamara was saying, chuckling softly.

"He is rather handsome. He'll make a young lady proud one day."

"I do hope that day is soon. I am so tired of his holding back all the time."

"You just wish he would come out and say it, hmm?" Mel's tone was more tired than Russav had heard it be in a long time. But it was not that he was concentrating most on.

"Yes. Anything would be better than this constant waiting." Tamara sighed and he could hear the rustling of her gown as she stood. Russav hardly heard it. He was too busy trying to remember how to breathe. "Well, my queen, you must rest now. You can hardly keep your eyes open, and our good king will throttle me if I let you tire yourself any longer."

Another male voice spoke up then as Danric entered his wife's room. "Tamara, my dear, I would never throttle a woman."

"No, my husband, you merely fuss her to death. I thought you were looking up something in the archives."

"I was just coming to check on you before continuing."

"What is it you are researching so thoroughly, Danric?" Tamara asked.

"This and that. Nothing I will bother you with for now." Russav could not hear anything more, but he knew what happened as though he had seen it. Tamara curtsied gracefully, flipping her fan in what seemed a casual manner, then left the royal couple to themselves.

But what he could not accept was that she had unknowingly left him with a shattered heart.

Nee touched his shoulder gently and he cleared his throat. "I have heard that this Dalon is a fairly eligible bachelor. I hope the both of them are happy with the way matters turn out for them." He told her in a toneless voice.

"Are you just letting her go, then?"

"I cannot keep her against her will, Nee."

"But you never had her!" He winced at her words and turned away. "I'm sorry, Russav... that's not what I meant..."

"I appreciate your efforts, Nee, but I must leave you now. I have some business that needs attending to. Good afternoon."

He left Danric's rooms and his friends as quickly as he could, trying to ignore the fact that he was slowly bleeding to death inside.

Fool! Thrice a fool, to not have realized what an exquisite gift she was and won her while he had the chance. Now she was lost to him forever, in love and won by another man who most likely had no idea that she even existed. The injustice of it all cut him again. He had known her better than anyone else, and loved her more than anyone, he was sure of it. What right had this Dalon to take her from him?

"This is her choice." He reminded himself of this with words as well as thoughts in order to strengthen his conviction. "She never loved you and never will. You are a fool, Russav, a cursed fool."

He had not been paying attention to where he was going and found himself running into something that was warm and definitely solid. A soft scent of peach blossoms reached him and he closed his eyes, recognizing Tamara instantly without having to see her startled expression as she looked up to see who had bumped into her. But he did look, because he could not bear not to, and he was surprised to see that she had been so lost in thought that the bump had startled her more than she cared to admit.

"My apologies, my friend. I must have dozed off on my feet." Russav murmured.

"Perhaps you ought to get more sleep, Russav. After all, one has a difficult time functioning during the daylight hours when one spends all night awake."

"And what is it you imagine I do at night to keep me sleeping during the day?" He could imagine a few answers she could give him; most of them were highly inappropriate.

"Well... allow me to hazard a guess. Do you write? Or read histories snuck from the archives? Or perhaps you have been helping Danric run the country since Mel hasn't been allowed to deal with the stress of it since the good king learned of her pregnancy?"

Russav could not help but let a puzzled look slip past his mask of calm he had to keep in front of her. If he lost the mask there'd be nothing to keep him from scooping her up in his arms and kissing her until the world ceased to exist. "How did you know I did those things?"

"Mora has been checking up on you. She told me that you've been running yourself ragged."

It helps me forget you and these foolish thoughts, he thought. "Danric cannot be left to deal with the crown alone, and he refuses to allow Mel to help him anymore."

"She resents that most of all. She wants to be part of his life."

As I wish to be part of yours... "Sometimes we have to simply take what we have, Tamara. There is nothing else that we can do."

She gave him an odd look, considering and half alarmed. "Then you approve of her being practically caged in her room?"

"No. But she and Danric need work things out between themselves and any interference would only make things worse between them. I cannot solve Meliara's problems any more than you can, though if she and Danric were willing to reach an agreement then they would both be a good deal happier."

"I see... Russav, I do hope we may speak again soon. I must go and see Elenet to pick up some paintings she did for me."

She curtsied and he made the proper goodbyes and bowed before he walked off as quickly as he could, another word blooming in his mind to replace the heart wounds caused by the one he had repeated for as long as he could remember. But how could the word his heart beat out turn so quickly from Tamara to another? Russav shook his head and went for a ride, trying to escape the confusion that was overtaking him.

He did not see Danric and Nee standing just down the hall, smiling and beginning to work out a plan to subtly guide the two closer. And Russav had just provided them with just the information they needed to do this, if they could only get the two potential lovebirds to reach an agreement... and if only they truly did love each other, as Mel and Danric love. But only time would tell, and fortunately Nee and Danric had plenty of that.

Poor old lost Russav. Danric and Nee seem to have their work cut out for them keeping him from going insane. Anyway, please review, it makes me happy and keeps me updating faster.


	3. Outfoxing the Fox

Outfoxing the Fox

Hi to everyone! I am so very very sorry for not updating in months again, but writer's block and no time to work and no ideas and so much homework and life in general has made my fingers not want to type anything for a while. But I felt bad about not writing so I am back to torment Sherwood's characters once more in whatever fashion I please. I do not own her characters in this story except for Dalon, and I'd prefer it if you did not steal him. I'm planning on switching point of views several times during this chapter, just so you know. I'll make it pretty clear that I did that when I do.

Tamara's POV

"Elenet?" I knocked on the wooden frame around the tapestry at Elenet's door, the other hand thoughtfully touching each place that Russav had touched me when he'd bumped into me in the middle of the hall. It took Elenet a moment to answer her, so I had only a moment to remember what it had been like for even just a little to be so close to him, to have spoken with him. He seemed so distant and sad, even more so than his usual courtly grace allowed. What was troubling him so?

Thankfully my thoughts could turn onto another avenue when Elenet let me in the room, blushing slightly. I came inside and saw Dalon standing and looking at one of Elenet's paintings appraisingly and I understood why the other woman was blushing. Even I would have had difficulty keeping my self from blushing if someone had found me with an attractive man in my rooms.

"Tamara! I am surprised to see you, I thought you had said you would not come by until this evening." Elenet's tone was warm but reserved. She had not made any friends over the past nine months she did not already have but preferred to stay alone or invite Nee and Mel over for tea occasionally. And I had never been one of Elenet's favorite courtiers, most especially after I had begun my conquest for Danric's heart.

"I know." I flipped her fan lightly in an apologetic gesture. "I am running a little ahead of schedule, I hope it is not inconvenient."

"Not for me, certainly, but you may have a difficult time bringing one of the painting to it's new home since it is not dry yet."

"May I see them?"

"Of course. If you will excuse us for a moment, Dalon, we shall return shortly." Dalon nodded distractedly, and I wondered if he had even acknowledged my presence at all. Not that that would have mattered.

Elenet led me to another room where several paintings hung on walls, leaned against covered furniture, were piled in stacks, or were placed in various other sections. Elenet picked up a small pile wrapped in cloth and looked around for a moment. "It's too dark to see properly in here. Come on." And she led me back to the main room and unwrapped the paintings and stood them up on the furniture so that I could see them.

Each one was exactly what I had asked for. All were of flowers or rivers or mountains, yet there was a subtle hint of something other, something that went beyond nature and creatures that lived in it. What that something was, I could not say, but Elenet had understood what she meant the moment I tried to describe it. In every picture there was a hint of the debts of Russav's eyes, or was that my imagination running away from me again? Elenet could not have done anything like that, she could not have known. Could she?

"They're beautiful, Elly." I said softly. The nickname I'd heard a thousand times from Nee and Mel was hard to say but was the only thing I could think of that would convey the bond of gratitude that I felt.

"You've not seen the last of them yet." Elenet pointed to the drying painting that Dalon was still looking at and I came to stand beside him, stifling a gasp as I saw the marvelous painting that Elenet had done. Everything was black and white, innocent or evil, stone or living, except for a single feature of a man's face. Drab and gray but looking as though each figure would jump from the canvas to embrace or attack the viewer, the painting was the most wonderful thing that I had ever seen. No wonder Dalon was so obsessed with it.

"I cannot accept this…" I finally managed to whisper.

"We made a bargain, and you paid in advance. I am honor-bound to give it to you regardless of what you may say."

I knew that I ought to protest, but I also knew there was nothing that I could argue that was even close to enough to change Elenet's mind. So instead I sighed and went back to studying the painting. Elenet went back into the back rooms to put away her paints and Dalon was the first to break the silence.

"It is magnificent, isn't it?"

I looked up at him, startled. "It is, that."

"Almost as though she saw into someone's heart and painted what was there."

"Surely you jest. It is simply colors on a canvas, nothing more." I hated saying it, but I had to say something to keep Dalon's mind away from hearts.

"Art is much more than colors, my dear. It is a soul captured and exposed for the viewing of any who wish to see it."

"Which is why this painting will only be in my private rooms after today." I snapped.

"Pity that such beauty will be hidden."

I backed away from him slightly, my fan flicking in agitation before me. "Lovely weather we have been having."

He chuckled low in his throat. "Ah yes, weather. I fear we may be in for a storm if we are not careful."

"Storms only come if they are encouraged first, if you recall."

"Is that a warning or a threat?"

"A statement of fact only. How could I threaten you?"

He looked at me in surprise. "You are one of the most influential women of the court."

"The key word there is woman, Dalon. I have hardly any influence with the men."

He coughed, but not in time to completely hide his laughter. "And you accuse me of jesting, dear lady. You have but to drop a token and the men will fight a duel to the death over it, and you have no influence among them."

"I have no use for men who confuse infatuation of an idea for love of a woman."

"I had heard you have a sharp tongue, Tamara, but I had hoped I would be spared being cut by it."

"Make a comment, get one in return. That is the way of court, Dalon, as you well know, or should. You have been here long enough by now to realize that words cut deeper than blades."

He studied her for a very long time. "And whose words have cut you today, that makes your eyes cloud the way they do now?"

My fan snapped open and I fluttered it before my face, concealing my expression from him angrily.

Elenet's POV

Perhaps I will never know what went on between Dalon and Tamara in the short time that I was gone, and perhaps I do not want to. Anything that could make Tamara look like she is about to beat someone upside the head with her fan is something I had best keep out of.

Danric, I did as you asked. I took the ideas Tamara had for her paintings and improved them, purposefully making them to remind her of Russav whenever I could. I do not know what good it will do, but I hope you are right. I hope this helps rather than hurts as I thought it would, but I did do it. For you.

Life, I am such an idiot. I cannot still love him, I will not. He is married now, and more in love than any other I have ever known, and still ignorant of my feelings for him. Mel knows, she told me so when Nee was not able to come to one of our teas. She apologized for knowing, and wanted to assure me that she had not told but wanted me to know she knew because she hated feeling like she was keeping something from me. Dear Mel, thank you for understanding.

Coming back and seeing Tamara staring wistfully at the painting while trying desperately to conceal her anger while Dalon was standing not two feet away from her, concern written across his face as surely as love was written in my paintings, was enough to startle me, though. What to do? Dalon may have inadvertently ruined everything Danric planned, the fool, by spoiling this moment for Tamara.

"Tamara, why don't you wait here and read a book while the paint finishes drying, then you can take them home. Dalon, I want to take a walk in the gardens but if I go alone I may have difficulty with gnats more commonly known as younger courtiers."

Dalon grinned. "I am afraid I will not be much use brushing them away from you, for I may just forget myself and join their ranks."

"Then the afternoon should be entertaining. Will you be alright by yourself, Tamara?"

"I would be delighted to be alone, thank you for asking and offering your books to pass the time."

Dalon took Elenet's arm and escorted her to the gardens, glancing back somewhat worriedly at Tamara once.

I have to keep him distracted, Elenet thought. Flirt with him, talk to him, something to keep him from being… from being male. "So, Dalon, what did you think of my dabbling with colors?"

"You know very well what I think about your masterpieces, Elle, you don't need to try to puff up your own ego by listening to my tangents about your brilliance."

"Colors are brilliant. People are intelligent."

He laughed. "Oh, I wish I had grown up here like most of you have, it would have been such fun learning to turn a phrase the way you do. Tell me, does it take years of practice to become an overpowering wit or are you born to it?"

They had stopped beneath a willow near one of her favorite areas of the garden, and it took a moment for Elenet to comprehend what he had just said, he was standing so close and her head felt light. "I'm just lucky I guess."

"That would make the both of us lucky, then, since I get to enjoy the effects of your humor."

Oh, my… he is tall, and very handsome to look at, and everything else the courtiers say about him. I had never noticed. His hair is dark, like midnight, and eyes like the leaves around us, he'd make a good painting if I could only capture that something, that unknown emotion that is somehow familiar that takes hold of me when I allow myself to think about Dalon instead of… instead of who?

While Elenet's thoughts rambled, Dalon had placed a gentle hand beneath her jaw and was looking at her as though there were secrets in her eyes that could easily be seen if he only looked hard and long enough.

She broke away from him, backing up slightly. "Dalon… I, I need to go…"

He sighed. "I will see you later, then, Elle."

Elenet did not answer, but made her escape as fast as she could without risking impoliteness.

Danric's POV

Why did it seem familiar when Nee and I were bent over a piece of paper, conspiring again? Ah, yes, because we'd done it before, though last time it was not voluntary on both of our parts. Funny old world, isn't it?

"Danric, what are we going to do? Russav thinks that Tamara loves Dalon, and there's no way to tell how Tamara feels."

"I've already considered that, my dear. Elenet's been painting some things for her, and I planted an idea for the artist's paintings that should help us figure out what her feelings are."

"And what if she does love Dalon?"

"Why would she? Tamara is not one to want the new boys in court, and he's not really the type of person she generally goes for. She prefers ones closer to power from what I know."

"She's changed a lot since then, Danric. Who's to say that hasn't changed, as well?"

"I don't know, Nee, but it seems a pretty safe assumption that her taste in men has not changed because there's little reason for it to have done so."

Nee rested her head on her palms and groaned. "I cannot believe I am having this discussion with King Vidanric, of all people…"

"What do you mean?"

"The romantic preferences of a person I don't generally like and it's affect on everyone I do like, summed up in one or two implications you make with every comment."

So much for both of us helping voluntarily, I thought dryly. "You are the one that signed up for this, if you recall."

"Are you implying anything by that?" She peeked suspiciously at me between her fingers.

Innocently, I choked down the laughter threatening to bubble up and shook my head. She mumbled something uncomplimentary and went back to studying the paper.

"I just don't see how we can make this work."

"You really don't want my opinion on that comment, my dear, so instead I will explain in part to you what our plan is. Once we know if Tamara likes him even the slightest bit, we will have to play our cards very carefully because they're both too proud to admit to each other that they're interested."

"I'm not a fool, Danric."

"I know, Nee, otherwise I'd not have my beautiful queen to come home to after a day of managing affairs of the country. Anyway, Russav knows we're plotting something but he's not sure what. He'll be on his guard often enough that we won't get many chances to do what needs to be done. Still, I had been planning a masquerade ball to celebrate the fact that it's been a year since Mel accepted my proposal, and all the courtiers are being asked to attend."

"Meaning if they don't come they will be in social ruin." Nee grinned.

"Exactly. And since they won't know who each other is…"

"I don't know. It's risky, they could send someone else in their place to pretend to be them since we won't be able to tell who's who."

"Then we'll have to have someone ensure that they go. It should not be too hard, Mel could get Tamara to come simply to make sure I don't kick her off the dance floor and back into bed before she's good and ready to go herself, and I can ensure that Russav is there myself since I'll need an entourage to help me make my grand entrance."

"Alright… but I think you're using my idea for bringing you and Mel together, you know. It's too brilliant an idea to belong to you."

"Well, what works, works. I can't help it if my ideas are strokes of genius."

"But they're my ideas, not yours!" Nee snapped.

"I am the king. My subject's ideas become mine if they're good ones and they give them to me for free."

"Must be nice living in a world of delusions."

"Oh, it is." I grinned. "Mel lets me live with them too often."

"I really don't want to know what Mel does or does not let you do if it's all the same."

"I seem to recall that you were married long before she was, my dear. You should know what married couples allow and don't allow without my having to tell you."

Nee made a sound like a teakettle letting off steam and left me laughing in my rooms. After a while, I managed to stop and went to the bedroom I shared with my wife, looking down at her peacefully sleeping form lovingly for a moment before curling up around her and going to sleep as well.

LadyStarFire's POV

Elenet angst, Tamara's dawning realizations, Nee and Danric arguing, should I mess with another character's life a little? Oh, yes.

Russav's POV

I still cannot believe what I heard. Tamara, in love with another man, one who perhaps loves her more than I ever will? No, never that much. I cannot just let her go, not like this. Tamara, why? Why can you not see how much I love you?

Because you won't let her, another part of me whispers. I drive her away whenever I can, and never once have I shown the slightest inclination to loving her, so how could she know? How can I tell her now, not knowing what I know? Or thinking what I think? Or… whatever.

The gardens are an excellent place to think. Quiet, serene, perfect… wait, is that Elenet running as though she had an army on her heels? Perhaps I had best see what is wrong with her.

I have to run to catch up to her, which maybe I should not have done since she seems to be even more frightened now that she's stopped than she was while running.

"Are you alright?"

"Why would I not be?" Elenet's voice was as calm as she could make it.

"I don't know. I just wanted to know when the big race you are training for commences. It would be astounding to watch beautiful women racing each other in dresses as though their lives depended upon it."

She laughed, and I was pleased that I could make her mod change so easily. "There is no race but with myself, and I always finish last and first."

"Well, that's the way to play the game, isn't it? Somehow I don't see you racing to win anything, though. Just racing for the thrill of it."

She blushed lightly. "Please, Russav, leave me be. I have had a trying day, and wish to retire to my rooms until dinner."

"Do not allow me to hold you back. I shall see you later?"

"Yes, Russav. Goodbye." She left and I watched after her thoughtfully. She seemed to be an understanding girl. Could I talk to her about Tamara as I did to Nee? Danric certainly seemed to trust her, so perhaps I should begin to try to do so, as well.

With the beginnings of a smile on my lips I turned, and it disappeared quickly. Life, no, not today.

She was coming down the path towards me, a predatory light in her eyes. I had liked the minx for some time, but not long enough and not enough for her. I flirted, won her heart, and lost interest as I had with many other women. How was I supposed to know she would not understand that?

She had been amusing at first, yes, but no longer. No, she was definitely not the kind of person I needed to see right now.

"Russav." She all but purred my name. "How delightful to see you."

I nearly choked on my own words as I bowed. "The pleasure is mine."

"Have you reconsidered your rash actions?"

"Have you reconsidered leaving me in peace?"

She smiled fondly at me and I placed my court mask where it did it's own work. "Come, now, Russav… you can't mean that. Not after all we had, all we shared…"

"A kiss. That and one or two token courtship gifts, not anything of real value. I told you, I am not interested in you anymore."

"No! You love me, I know you do, just admit it!" She grabbed my sleeve and I pulled away roughly.

"Don't touch me, don't talk to me, just leave me be! I am sorry I ever expressed an interest as seeing you as anything more than a silly girl child!"

Having shouted this I turned and stormed away, shaking. Life, I hate losing my temper for no reason like that, but she just makes me want to kill something. Preferably something soft with long blonde hair and fluttering lashes hiding blue eyes.

Now… surely, nothing else can go wrong today.

I am an idiot. Just as I think that, I see Dalon and Tamara, walking through the garden together. Not touching, but together.

I turn and, like Elenet, run from conflicting emotions. I hope it helped her a lot more than it helped me.

LadyStarFire's POV (again)

Ah, well, it's late so I'd best go to bed now and leave you to wonder what happens until I'm next able to update. I hope it's soon, and I hope that you like the latest chapter since it was a little weird to write and all that.


	4. Yet Another Masquerade Part 1

Yet Another Masquerade ((Part 1))

Tamara's POV

Why on earth had I come to the gardens again after all? I knew that Elenet and Dalon would be there, and yet… the books weren't interesting, and the painting… I really don't want to be staring at that painting for too long, because that would mean I have to think. And that would be painful.

So I wanted to walk, and who should be there but Dalon, alone, beneath a tree out of sight and quite willing to talk about my personal life again. True, the man was well enough to look at and I admire his concern, but really. He has no business coming into court as though he owns the place and ruining my perfectly wonderful misery I'd worked myself into with his concern.

And he knew something he wasn't telling me. I know he did, the minute I saw his eyes leave that painting. For in the painting the only feature on the man's face shown were his deep, beautiful eyes, so like another familiar pair, yet shining with a certain light I'd never seen before in them. How could Elenet have seen, how could she have known? Mel surely wouldn't have betrayed me; it's not possible for her to be dishonest willingly. And I'd been so careful to conceal it, so for this perfect stranger to come along and see me so clearly when the one I want to know seems blind to what I hide from him, it was frustrating beyond all comparison.

"Lady Tamara? Are you still there?"

"Hm? Oh, forgive me, Dalon, my mind wandered."

"Does it do that very often?"

"Why do you ask?"

He looked at me with a completely straight face. "Because you may want to consider buying a leash for it if it continues to leave you."

Keep the fan out of your hands, do not imagine conking him upside the head with it, and remain calm and gentle as any court lady is. It is not tempting to hurt this man. Really. "Thank you for your kind recommendation."

Hearing the icy chill in my tone he looked close to crestfallen. "I've gone and offended you, haven't I? My apologies, lady, it shall not happen again."

He walked swiftly away from me, leaving me alone in the garden. What was worse, I could see him stop some distance away to speak briefly with the beloved figure of Russav.

Russav's POV

I really wish I knew what was going on. If Tamara loved Dalon, what would make him leave her in such a manner? If she did not love him, why did she look as though someone had taken her best friend away as she sat alone beneath the trees? If I go to her now, she will know I know and something may happen, but she saw me standing here so if I leave and she wanted me to come to her I may cause offense… there are too many possibilities leading to failure for me. And besides, I just had to try and smooth Elenet's frayed nerves, what was the matter with the women in court lately that made all of them so blasted unhappy?

Well, Tamara answered my unspoken question and she came towards me. Wonderful, now I'm thinking myself a coward for not being the one to offer security when she does even when she is upset.

"Good afternoon, my lady." I kept my voice as neutral as I could. "How are you?"

She sighed softly. "Nothing to trouble you about, Russav. What brings you here?"

"I needed time to think, then I ran into… an obstruction."

"What kind of an obstruction?"

I grinned. "The kind that bars your way and leaves you trapped in a little room with little light and…" I paused dramatically for a moment as I had always done when we were children. "No food."

She gasped theatrically, warming to the game. "Oh, good sir, however did you survive?"

"Well, my dear lady, it was quite simple. I ate the bars after three days and nights of acceptance of my fate and found myself free."

"You must have had quite the stomachache."

"I do have one, since I have only just escaped."

"Aha, I see your goal now." She circled him slowly, flicking her fan flirtatiously before her grinning eyes. "You seek a favor to ease the pain from a beautiful lady."

"I do, indeed, ma'am. Do you know where I may encounter one?"

She feigned shock. "My good sir, you wound me. Am I not beautiful?"

"You are, but you are my friend. A favor would have to come from an unknown maiden so I can broaden my horizons as my dear mother told me to do."

"Then I see we have no choice. We must find you such a maiden!"

"But my friend, there are no maidens in sight but you."

Always, we had stopped the game there, giggling and running off to play tag, as children are wont to do. But now… "Perhaps then, good sir, your mother would not be sorely disappointed if you sought a favor from me?"

I could see she was half-teasing, but there was something in her eyes I did not recognize. Even now I could not help but think that I was treading on thin ice, one wrong move and she could ruin my life at court. That might not be so bad, but it would mean disassociation with the king, which would be horrid. But since she offered… even a mocking favor of hers would be more welcome than anything else that could have been given to me. I nodded and she stepped forward lightly. I expected her to merely hand me her kerchief or some other token, but she stood on tiptoe and kissed me instead!

It was soft and short but perhaps the happiest moment of my life so far and she would never know what a gift she had given me in jest. But still, it made reality all the more painful because I could only have her love, her favor, when we were pretending.

When she drew away, we both looked into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, and then as she began to leave I could not help but make some form of comment. "I thank you for your generosity, my lady."

She stopped and looked back at me, her expression unreadable. "It was my pleasure." Then she was gone, disappearing further into the gardens.

Danric's POV

Russav was pacing in my chambers when I returned from court. Again. Truly, does he live anywhere else? Anyway, I knew something had happened to faze him so much because he looked like a fox hearing the hunting horn. ((A/N I'm not sure if Sherwood has her characters go on hunts, but the analogy fits Russav's mood and the titles, so meh.))

"Russav?"

"Danric, I can't stand her. No, I can't… what do I do? You did this once, you're married, tell me what miracle possesses you to continue on with this hell."

"What happened?"

"She kissed me."

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"Yes, and it was, but… it was only in jest, just a mask, a façade…"

"Speaking of masques…"

"Oh, no. No, no, no. And no. I refuse to let you manipulate me into acting anymore with her."

"I never said anything about manipulating you." I was very confused, but also very stubborn. I'd never seen Russav so visibly shaken, one would think he had never been kissed before in his life the way he was acting.

"You don't have to say anything, Danric, you're the king. It's your job to manipulate people."

"People from other cities who need it, or courtiers I cannot completely trust, yes that is my job. For you, Russav, I do not try to control you. You might try to knock me upside the head with the blunt side of a blade again."

"That was an accident, we were only just given the swords that day and I didn't know how to draw that blasted thing so will you let it drop already?"

"Only if you never say I am trying to manipulate you like a puppeteer again. I only want what's best for your happiness, Russav, and if that's helping you and Tamara see each other, then I will do my utmost to help you woo her if I can. You may or may not need it, but I am willing to help. Can you accept that?"

He was silent for so long I half feared that he would not answer. "Well, I did ask for you to offer me some advice, didn't I? All right, you win. I'll go to this ball of yours, but I won't enjoy a minute of it."

I very much doubt that, my friend. I doubt it.

Elenet's POV

I returned to my rooms sometime later, a little put off by the empty easels and frames my paintings had occupied for the past few weeks before they were taken to their new homes in Tamara's rooms. So preoccupied was I with these that I did not notice the note carefully folded and addressed to me in a masculine hand beneath a vase holding a rose that was so deeply crimson I could hardly stand the richness of the color without trying to paint it. Still, that could wait until I read the note.

Elenet:

Please accept my offer to escort you to the masquerade ball. I promise to be better about keeping away the gnats, if you will allow me to become one.

It was not signed but she knew who sent it. And she had no idea how to reply.


End file.
